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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950534">Throwing Shoes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alex_Write/pseuds/Alex_Write'>Alex_Write</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ace fics! [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asexual Character, Asexual!Sherlock, Edited, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, John Watson is Not Gay, M/M, Misunderstandings, Not Beta Read, Possessive Sherlock, Sherlock is a Brat, Understanding John, sexuality is not simple, still not beta read</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:13:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,755</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950534</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alex_Write/pseuds/Alex_Write</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>John comes home to a flying shoe and deep discussions with Sherlock...who might not do males or females but is certainly possessive of John's time. Featuring stroppy Sherlock, understanding John, talks about sexuality and lots of misunderstandings cleared up. Fluffy/Happy ending.</p>
<p>(Originally titled: *insert witty title here*)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes/John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ace fics! [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2124465</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Throwing Shoes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first Sherlock Holmes fic, so be nice please.</p>
<p>If you enjoy this fic, please leave me some Kudos (and a review too, if you feel like it). Kudos are my favorite part of the day and encourage me to write more frequently (though I'll write either way).</p>
<p>Edited April 9, 2021 to fixed some typos, update the title, and clean up the fit some.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>John was on a date again.</p>
<p>It wasn’t anything new, Sherlock knew that he should be use to the fact by now. John had a healthy libido and a good appreciation for the female body (John’s words, not his). Going on dates was a given. How else was John suppose to find someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.</p>
<p>Except…where would that leave Sherlock?</p>
<p>Sherlock had become…attached…to John quickly despite what he’d ever admit. After the first uttered “Brilliant” from John, Sherlock had been hooked. He’d still expected John to get tired of his moods and brashness, but John hadn’t. Instead John had stuck around. He badgered Sherlock into eating and sleeping. He hid Sherlock’s cigarettes and patched him up when he was hurt on a case. John had quickly become integral to The Work and Sherlock’s life. The flat was empty without him, and even though Sherlock told John many times that he didn’t notice when John left, he always did. Just sometimes…sometimes it irritated him so much that he had to get back at John for daring to leave in the first place. So he’d act like he hadn’t noticed.</p>
<p>This was one of those times where John’s absence was irritating to Sherlock. It was made worse by <em>why</em> John was absent to begin with. Sherlock needed him <em>here</em> and why couldn’t John tell that?</p>
<p>It was due to this irritation that when John finally reappeared at the flat, Sherlock found himself flinging a near by shoe in John’s general direction. The resounding <em>THUMP</em> against the wall and yelp of surprise was surprisingly satisfying.</p>
<p>“What the bloody hell, Sherlock? That would have hit me!” John’s angry voice was much higher pitched than John’s content voice, even more so to his relaxed and happy voice. It wasn’t pleasing. Sherlock did not like it.</p>
<p>“That was the point!” Sherlock huffed, flopping back to lay on the couch again with his arms crossed across his chest. He knew that he was being childish, that his stroppy attitude was just a petulant as a toddler not getting their way. But he couldn’t help it! John had been gone and he’d <em>needed</em> him!</p>
<p>John was heavily sighing and stepping out of his own shoes, obviously already frustrated, but even still he came around to sit in his chair, angling himself to see Sherlock on the couch. “Are you going to tell me why you’re throwing things at me?”</p>
<p>Sherlock wanted to scream at how dim John was. It was obvious why he was throwing things at John. John hadn’t been here to do anything and his absence could be the only reason Sherlock could have to be mad at him. However, Sherlock knew that John didn’t always connect the dots and he liked to talk about things. It made him wonder some days why he even needed John so.</p>
<p>“You weren’t here! Instead you were with Emily and not answering your text messages.” Sherlock sneered, rolling over to give John his back.</p>
<p>There was another sigh followed by rustling that told Sherlock that John was slouching in his chair now. “I told you that I was going on a date and that I wouldn’t be answering my phone. It’s rude Sherlock, and <em>Nancy</em> is a nice girl who deserves my full attention when I’m on a date with her. Why do you even care? You never noticed in the past when I wasn’t here. How many times have I come home to you talking to me like I never left?”</p>
<p>Sherlock wanted to pull his hair out. Why couldn’t John understand. Why couldn’t he <em>see</em>?</p>
<p>“Of course I notice, don’t be an idiot. I notice when you eat something new for lunch or take a new route home from the clinic. I notice when you sleep poorly and when you don’t drink enough tea or coffee. There is no way that I would not notice you leaving me.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t until the words were out of his mouth that he realized he made a mistake. If he was lucky John would not notice, but he also knew that John could catch onto things quicker than most when he put his mind to it. In the middle of an argument was almost a sure way to make sure that John did notice.</p>
<p>“I’m not a mind reader, Sherlock. If you need something you have to actually speak up. Plus, I thought you didn’t date men or women. You said that when we first met.”</p>
<p>Sherlock rolled his eyes and curled in more tightly to himself. Of course this wasn’t going to be the exception. John could make surprisingly intuitional leaps of logic when it came to emotions or people. At least he could with Sherlock.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter because you have Martha.” He wasn’t about to just give in.</p>
<p>Another sigh and more shifting. Though Sherlock couldn’t be sure, he could guess that John was now leaning back in his chair looking up at the ceiling. It was something that John did a lot when he declared himself done with Sherlock’d dramatics, though John still continued to engage him verbally.</p>
<p>“Not that it is any of your business who I’m dating, but <em>Nancy</em> and I will not be seeing each other again. Apparently I talk about you too much. Now stop deflecting and tell me what’s going on in that big brain of yours.”</p>
<p>Well that was news to Sherlock. Something he probably would have noticed if he’d actually been looking at John when he’d came in…or at any other point after he’d arrived. A small part of Sherlock felt guilty. He didn’t actually want John to be upset or alone, but a bigger part of him was happy. If John was unattached then he’d have more time for Sherlock, at least until he found someone else.</p>
<p>When Sherlock didn’t say anything more, John tried prompting him to talk again. “Sherlock, talk to me. You’re difficult at the best of times, but you don’t normally resort to throwing things at me. Something is obviously wrong and unless you actually talk to me I won’t figure it out. Idiot, remember?”</p>
<p>Sherlock wasn’t sure if he wanted to turn to look at John or not. He also wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell him the truth, but…how much longer could he push John before he just left?</p>
<p>“I never said that I didn’t…date…just that I didn’t <em>do</em> men or women.”</p>
<p>John went still behind Sherlock.</p>
<p>Sherlock could practically hear the wheels turning within John’s head, the neurons firing rapidly as they pieced together information. He wouldn’t have been surprised if John was remembering things, little bits of memory of things that Sherlock had done or said in the past that aligned with what Sherlock had just revealed.</p>
<p>What Sherlock hadn’t been expecting was the sudden rush of air from John’s lungs. Not the rush of exasperation or disgust that he usually heard, but something different. Something that sent unfamiliar and unwanted hope tripping through his chest. Hope that he’d only felt once before and had never thought he’d want to feel again after having it dashed so completely the first time. He’d grown to like the fact that The Work was the most important thing in his life, but he had to admit that John had become integral to The Work as well and the hope that John would stay…would facilitate more inside and outside of The Work…</p>
<p>Sherlock found his emotions stirring despite his wishes.</p>
<p>He didn’t know when he stopped paying close attention to John, but Sherlock was startled when a hand gently gripped his shoulder and guided him to roll over. John had perched himself on what little of the couch that Sherlock had left empty, eyes boring down at Sherlock with an unreadable expression in them.</p>
<p>“Sherlock…are you only asexual? I thought you had been trying to say…all this time I thought you were aromantic and asexual. I thought you didn’t want <em>anything</em>.” John seemed to be struggling for words, his eyes darting around Sherlock’s face in what Sherlock was hesitant to describe as desperation.</p>
<p>Frowning, Sherlock looked back steadily, his ire from before fading away slightly. John really was an idiot, and Sherlock knew this, but this wasn’t the reaction that he’d been expecting. He’d expected more frustration. For John to rant about how while Sherlock might be happy not having anyone, how John needed the companionship that came with his dating women. How he couldn’t expect John to feel the same way he did. Instead John was taking slow deliberately measured breaths and was sitting close enough to lean over Sherlock.</p>
<p>“Yes, to put it in a way that even an idiot can understand, I don’t feel sexual attraction to people. My mind is too distracted by everything else for it, but that does not mean I do not <em>want</em>. I want to be wrapped up in someone’s smell and touch, I want to be petted and taken care of, I want…I want kisses and hugs and <em>feelings</em>.” He had to practically spit out the last part, the idea of showing some kind of vulnerability even to John was frightening and Sherlock did not care for the feeling.</p>
<p>Sherlock liked to pretend that he was above it all. That he could truly shut it all off like Mycroft said he should…like he suspected Mycroft was actually able to do. Caring really wasn’t an advantage most of the time. The reality of it was, though, that with as brilliant as Sherlock’s mind was, he still felt everything. Only some times he worried that he felt everything so much more deeply than everyone else that it was even worse than not feeling anything at all. His love, he knew, was all consuming and possessive, his anger fire bright and blinding, and his sadness leveling and destructive.</p>
<p>John was leaning over him more, unconsciously moving closer even as he lost control over his careful breathing. He was close enough that Sherlock could smell the stale beer on his breath, the faded scent of the aftershave that John favored after Sherlock had complained about the smell of his old one.</p>
<p>“Are you telling me that all this time…all this time I could have had you and you were too much of a bloody idiot to tell me?”</p>
<p>John’s words were more startling than his proximity, making Sherlock involuntarily jerk back farther into the couch if possible. “You’re not gay…you say it all the time…and you like sex.”</p>
<p>John was laughing, his head thumping down onto Sherlock’s chest as his shoulders shook. Sherlock couldn’t help but give in to the need to lift a hand to run over John’s hair. So different than Sherlock’s own, a sandy brown and thinner than Sherlock’s, but so soft despite the product that he used to tame it.</p>
<p>“God, you bloody wanker. I’m not gay but even you should know that sexuality isn’t so straight forward. I’m not attracted to men, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t love you. I don’t have to want to have sex with you to want to kiss you good morning or force you to lay down with me at night so I can wrap you up in my arms and sleep with you close. Yeah, I like sex…but I don’t have to have it and I’ve had relationships without it. I’ve got two hands and if I need something else there are aids I can buy from a store. Even then I’d happily live with blue balls if I could have you. How could you not know this? I thought it was obvious…everyone at the Yard knows how gone I am on you. <em>Harry</em> knows how gone I am on you and she’s always so bloody pissed I’m surprised she knows her own name.”</p>
<p>Sherlock felt like he’d stopped breathing, his hand convulsing and clinching in John’s hair, bringing John’s head up with a wince. He forced his hand to let go of the hair and for his lungs to expand to draw in more air. His brain worked faster to go over his interactions with John and John’s relationships.</p>
<p>John was a serial dater, he dated a female for a few weeks, sometimes a couple of months, and then the relationship would inevitably end because <em>he spent too much of his time on Sherlock</em>. John regularly reached out to touch Sherlock, a hand on his shoulder or neck, sometimes a quick ruffle of his hair. He also gravitated closer to Sherlock than he did anyone else. Thinking back on it with a new light, Sherlock could find times where John’s eyes lingered a little longer than normal, soft with an emotion that Sherlock had never understood.</p>
<p>There was also the fact that all of those still happened even after living with Sherlock for an extended period of time. Even after having seen Sherlock at some of his lowest points, John was still around and still reaching for him. In fact, the number of times that he reached out for</p>
<p>Sherlock in a given day had actually increased with time.</p>
<p>“Oh…you know that I’ll be worse than I am now. I’ll demand your constant attention. Need it even. I’ll always want you near me and when you’re not I’ll be even more insufferable than I can be now. I’ll want to tell everyone that you’re mine and I’ll probably chase all your friends away.”</p>
<p>John laughed again, lifting his head this time to smile down at Sherlock. “You already do all of those things. I think we’ll manage. That is, if you’re done throwing shoes at me and actually want to try this. I suspect it will be the hardest thing either of us have ever done, but I’m sure we could make it work.”</p>
<p>A small smile tugged its way onto Sherlock’s lips, one of his hands reaching up to run long fingers over John’s own smiling face. If John said it would work then Sherlock had every belief that it actually would. After all, John could be even more stubborn than Sherlock and Sherlock had to trust that he knew what he wanted.</p>
<p>John seemed to take that as a sign of consent and leaned down slowly, giving Sherlock plenty of time to disagree, before pressing their lips together. As far as kisses went it wasn’t much of anything, just a dry slide of lips against each other briefly before John pulled away again to peck Sherlock quickly on the nose. Sherlock had seen old couples at the park share spicier kisses than the one that John bestowed him. All the same it was perfect for them and Sherlock found himself leaning up to kiss John once more before grabbing him and tumbling him onto the couch.</p>
<p>Long legs and arms wrapped securely around John, pressing him close enough to muffle his squawk of protest at the manhandling. For his part, John settled quickly once he realized what was going on, wrapping his own arms around Sherlock as much as he could and letting Sherlock wrap himself around him as much as humanly possible.</p>
<p>Both Sherlock and John were suddenly glad that John had returned home. Glad that Sherlock’s precarious moods and John’s break up with Nancy had prompted the honest discussion between the two of them. They weren’t under the delusion that things would magically work out, but it was a start and they both knew what to do with that.</p>
<p>There would be fights in the future, about Sherlock being smothering and John looking at women (though John never went after them, Sherlock was still a possessive person). Sherlock would want John to move into his room immediately while John would resist, the nightmares conjured by his PTSD making him want a room to retreat to. Sherlock would still play his violin at ungodly hours and leave body parts and half finished experiments in the fridge where John wanted to keep food. John would still force Sherlock to eat regularly, would still clean up after experiments that Sherlock wasn’t done with, and would still all around mother hen Sherlock.</p>
<p>For now, though, they were happy. Wrapped up in each other, a new understanding shining brightly between them with hope and love, things were looking up and things that they once thought was impossible suddenly seemed very possible and close.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Again. If you enjoyed this fic, drop me some Kudos! I'm not afraid to beg for them.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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